


Mason's Best Friend

by Slytherinfixation



Series: Welcome to the Pack [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta, Gen, Mason's POV, POV Third Person, Pack Dynamics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-04
Updated: 2014-08-07
Packaged: 2018-02-11 17:53:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,604
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2077521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slytherinfixation/pseuds/Slytherinfixation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mason has been best friends with Liam since they were in kindergarten... but not even he understands what's going on when Liam starts hanging out with Scott McCall.</p><p>Follows episodes 4.06 and 4.07 fairly closely.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Episode 4x06

Mason has been best friends with Liam Dunbar since their first day of Kindergarten. They went all through elementary and middle school together before Liam ends up shipped off to Devenford Prep for freshman year. He’s the one Liam calls when he destroys his teacher’s car and the one who calms him down after he’d been diagnosed with I.E.D.

Despite the circumstances in which Liam ends up attending Beacon Hills High just after the break, Mason’s excited to have his best friend back. They’re not even a week in when Liam tries out for the lacrosse team and everything suddenly changes.

Mason isn’t there to see Liam’s try outs as he’d had to go home to look after his little sister while his parents are both at work but he hears about it from Garrett that same night. He tries calling Liam to find out if it’s as serious as it sounds but gives up after his sixth call goes to voice mail.

When Mason gets to school the next day, worried because Liam hadn’t been on the bus, he’s surprised when Liam suddenly appears. His leg isn’t broken, isn’t even sore if the fact he ran three miles to school is any indication. Mason watches his odd behaviour with concern, startled when Liam suddenly takes off for the front door of the school.

His worry for his best friend only gets worse when he can’t find Liam at the party at Lydia’s lake house. He can’t get a hold of him all weekend and it’s not until Monday morning in the gym that he sees him again. His concern skyrockets when Liam doesn’t seem to be paying enough attention to even notice how much weight he’d been lifting.

It’s not until Scott McCall and Stiles Stilinski interrupt Liam and Brett’s meeting that he begins to even guess what’s really going on. McCall’s got Liam by the shoulders, pulling him away from Brett while Stilinski distracts with his usual level of sarcasm. Then the pair are pulling him away and disappearing into the lacrosse locker room.

Mason doesn’t see Liam again until just before the game and while he’s still angry he’s calmed down enough to smile at Mason’s words. When the game begins, however, the anger is clearly back in full force and it’s only McCall and Stilinski that stop him from starting a fight with his old team mates. The two older boy’s sudden interest in Liam is disconcerting considering they were the ones who had supposedly injured Liam in their first training.

Then Brett’s suddenly on the ground and McCall’s got his bare hands around Liam’s arm and Mason can’t see what he’s doing. Brett’s carried off the field and the other players are given a moment to catch their breath. Mason only notices first McCall and then Stilinski take off because he’s watching Liam interact with them so intently.

When the game is suddenly cancelled and first the Sherriff’s office and then the FBI are showing up by the car load, Liam takes off to. It’s not until almost an hour later that he overhears that Violet of all people tried to kill first Brett and then McCall – that they’re only alive because McCall knocked her unconscious against the locker room wall. Then he finds out that Violet and Garrett are serial killers and all he wants to do is find his best friend and talk to him about it.

When he tries, however, he finds that Liam has disappeared along with McCall and Stilinski and all their friends. He doesn’t hear from him until the next morning when they go for their usual morning run but when he tries to talk to Liam about it he takes off running and disappears.

At school, Mason asks everyone he knows if they’ve seen Liam but no one has. It’s not until the break between first and second period that Mason catches sight of McCall coming down the hallway towards him, surrounded by his group of friends. He hesitates only a moment before stepping in front of him.

“Oh, hey,” he greets, coming to a stop. “Mason, right? Liam’s friend.”

“Yeah,” Mason frowns. “Look, have you seen him today?”

McCall glances around at his friends, all of who shake their heads in answer, before looking back at him and drawing out his answer, “No. Why?”

Mason shifts, lifting his bag further up his shoulder, “He ran off this morning and I haven’t seen him since.”

Mason has never seen someone’s face drop like that.

“I’ll help you find him,” McCall says just as the bell rings, waving his friends off as he does so.

They spend the whole period looking for him, even going so far as to ask coach if he’s seen him only to find out he’s skipped class.

It’s almost ten o’clock that night before Mason’s phone lights up with Liam’s name.

“Where the hell have you been?” he demands by way of greeting.

“Uh…” and that’s not Liam’s voice. “Mason, its Scott. Just thought you’d like to know I found Liam.”

“Can I talk to him?” Mason asks immediately.

“He’s sleeping,” the older boy replies quietly and Mason realises he’s trying not to wake Liam up. “I’ll get him to call you when he wakes up tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah, okay,” Mason agrees after a moment’s hesitation. “Where’d you find him anyway?”

Scott sighs, “He never left the woods.”

Mason draws in a startled breath, “What? Is he alright?”

“He’s fine,” Scott assures. “He was just cold and tired. He’ll be fine to go to school tomorrow.”

“Thanks for calling,” Mason says after a long moment of silence.

“You’re welcome,” Scott replies, still in that quiet voice, before hanging up. Mason stays up another hour simply staring at his phone.

* * * * *

Mason wakes up the next morning to the sound of his phone ringing, answering without looking at the caller ID.

“What?” he asks grumpily.

“Hey, Mase.”

Yesterday’s events coming flooding back at the sound of Liam’s voice and he shoots up into a sitting position.

“Liam! What the hell happened yesterday?”

The other boy sighs, “You’ll probably hear about it at school anyway. Garrett’s dead.”

“What?” Mason says blankly.

“He kidnapped me,” Liam admits softly. “Tried to use me as leverage to get Violet back.”

“Oh my god,” Mason breaths disbelievingly. “How did he…?”

“Shot by Sheriff Stilinski,” Liam says before he even finishes asking. “Violet too.”

“Oh god.”

There’s a quiet noise in the background of the sound coming through the phone that sounds like Liam’s name followed by what sounds like Liam covering the receiver. Mason hears it anyway.

“That Mason?”

And that’s definitely Scott McCall’s voice.

“Yeah,” Liam says in reply, sounding tired. “You said I could –“

“Hey, it’s fine,” Scott says softly. “I’ll be down in the kitchen when you’re done, yeah?”

“Okay.”

There’s a moment’s pause before Liam’s back on the phone, “Mason?”

“I’m here,” he says.

Liam sighs, “Look, I’ll see you at school later, yeah?”

“Yeah, okay,” Mason agrees, frowning slightly. “Was that Scott McCall?”

There’s hesitation from Liam, “Yeah.”

“What’s he doing at your place so early in the morning?”

“He’s not,” Liam says, sounding tired again. “I spent the night at his place. Look, I’ll talk to you later, alright?”

He hangs up before Mason can reply. Mason stays staring at his phone all over again with the knowledge that after spending a day in the woods being held hostage by a serial killer Liam chose to spend the night with Scott McCall rather than at home with his parents.

* * * * *

When Liam finally shows up at school, it's in the back of Stilinski's jeep. He climbs out behind Scott, who seems to have forgone his bike for the day. Liam swings his backpack over his shoulder and slams the door shut behind him. Stilinski climbs out of the front seat and even from this distance Mason can tell he's berating him.

Liam smirks at the other boy who backs off when Scott reaches out to wrap a hand around the back of Liam’s neck. Scott uses it to propel the younger boy forward and they fall into step together as Stilinski and his girlfriend link hands behind them. Scott’s hand moves but only to wrap an arm around his shoulders instead.

Liam seems perfectly content with it though, curling slightly towards the other boy as they walk.

“Hey Mason,” he greets as they approach. He doesn’t so much as twitch away from Scott.

“How you feeling?” Mason asks, eyeing the pair curiously as Stilinski and his girlfriend step up on Scott’s other side. A moment later and Lydia Martin and their other friend, Kira, step up beside Liam.

They make an image like that, the six of them stood in a solid line in front of Mason. Four sets of eyes star at him challenging – daring him to do what exactly he has no idea – while Scott stares at Liam and Liam eyes the ground between his feet.

Liam shrugs in reply, looking back up at him as he moves impossibly closer to Scott, “I’m fine.”

Mason takes in the way Scott is rubbing circles in Liam’s shoulder curiously but the bell rings before he can say anything.

Liam makes an odd sound in the back of his throat and turns his whole body towards Scott. The older uses the arm he still has around him to pull him close, pressing his mouth directly to Liam’s ear.

Whatever he says is lost to Mason but Liam nods and appears to calm slightly. Scott releases him but lets him move away on his own.

“I’ll see you at lunch, Liam,” Scott says, moving away with the others following. “Mason.”

Mason returns the other boy’s nod and watches them walk away. When he turns back, Liam has his arms folded over his chest and his wide blue eyes are still focused on the door they just passed through.

“You sure you’re alright?”

Liam’s eyes dart towards Mason before he closes them and take a deep breath, “Yeah.”

Despite the small smile he throws him, Mason has the distinct impression that it’s a lie.


	2. Episode 4x07

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mason's confusion at Liam's relationship with Scott and his friends only continues when four of them are included in those suspected of having been exposed to a deadly disease.

After that day, Mason only seems to have Liam’s full attention during their shared classes. His best friend is tense in their last class before lunch but doesn’t hesitate to join in on the group assignment with a smile on his face.

When the bell rings for lunch, however, it’s like there’s some invisible thread pulling Liam to his new friends. They appear in the middle of a crowded hallway just moments after Mason and Liam have left the classroom. Liam doesn’t hesitate in plastering himself to Scott’s side. The older boy simply wraps an arm around him and presses his nose briefly to Liam’s hair.

Stilinski clears his throat pointedly and nods at Mason when Scott glances over at him.

“You’re welcome to join us,” Scott says, glancing over at Mason.

“You really think that’s a good idea?”

Malia gets a sharp elbow in the ribs from Lydia, “What?”

Mason shifts awkwardly from one foot to the other as the two girls frown at each other. He’s heard Malia’s story, of course, doesn’t know anyone at Beacon Hills High who hasn’t. That she spent a decade out in the woods completely alone, isolated from civilisation. He can’t imagine having to learn social norms at seventeen.

“He can come?” Liam interrupts anyone from replying, pulling away to look up at Scott.

“If you want him to.”

Liam nods once before curling back in to Scott. The older boy frowns down at the top of his head and Mason wonders for the first time if Scott finds the younger boy’s attachment as confusing as he does.

It’s Kira who steps forward with a smile, looping an arm through Mason’s. Lydia follows behind, starting a conversation about Mason’s classes as they walk. Mason is sufficiently distracted but not enough to not look back ad see Scott nudging a reluctant Liam forward.

Where, Mason wonders, is his sometimes cocky, permanently independent best friend?

* * * * *

It’s not until Saturday that Mason sees Liam without any juniors watching over their shoulders. He mentions something about Scott taking his PSATs when he agrees to hang out and Mason wonders if Liam always keeps such close tabs on Scott.

Mason arrives at Liam’s house at eleven and manages to keep his attention for a full hour before he’s pulled away. Liam’s stepfather comes down the stairs in a hurry, shrugging into a jacket as he goes.

“What’s wrong?” Liam asks, turning from the video game they’re playing with a frown.

“Your school’s been quarantined,” Dr Geyer replies hurriedly, searching for his keys.

“Why?”

Liam’s voice has a sudden edge to it and Mason remembers what he said about Scott and his PSATs.

“The CDC thinks a deadly disease might have infected those inside,” Dr Geyer says. “I’m going to see what I can do to help.”

“I’m coming with you.”

The doctor pauses, turning in surprise to look at where Liam has already stood, dropping his controller without much care where it lands. It hits the floor with a loud thud.

“Liam,” he begins.

“My friends are in there,” Liam says, his hands forming fists at his sides. “Scott’s in there.”

“Scott McCall?”

There’s an odd expression on Dr Geyer’s face and Mason wonders if he too has noticed the recent weird goings on between Liam and the older boy.

“Yeah,” Liam admits, frowning at his stepfather. The doctor eyes him back for a long moment before sighing.

“Alright,” he says. “Go put some shoes on.”

Not minutes later, they’re driving to the High School. Mason has never seen so many deputies, even when Garrett and Violet were revealed as serial killers. Amongst the men in police uniforms, there are men and women in big yellow suits running around hurriedly.

Dr Geyer frowns at the sight of them.

“What is it?” Liam demands and Mason sees that spark his best friend has been missing flash back into existence. Strange how Scott had somehow managed to take it away and bring it back within just weeks of each other.

“They’re taking this very seriously,” Dr Geyer says. “If they’re still wearing protective gear after this long, they haven’t figured out what it is yet.”

Liam goes ridged, “How long have they been in there?”

The doctor hesitates.

“How long?”

Liam’s voice is practically a growl and he’s squeezing his eyes shut.

“Almost an hour.”

Liam makes an odd noise in the back of his throat before turning abruptly away from them. He walks almost two meters away before he leans against a tree, his knuckles pressed squarely against it. He leans forward to place his forehead against the bark and remains like that.

“Liam –“ Dr Geyer calls, taking a step towards him. Liam’s shoulders tense even more and the doctor hesitates.

“Liam?”

Mason and Dr Geyer turn, glancing over to Lydia Martin’s worried expression.

Liam tears away from the tree with a cry and, though the doctor makes a move to stop him, crashes into Lydia. Liam’s stepfather reaches out but stops when he suddenly realises the two are holding onto each other tightly, Liam’s face buried into the other girl’s neck. Mason realises the doctor thought Liam was going to attack her and winces when he sees him realise his mistake.

“The others?” they hear Liam ask Lydia.

Lydia’s eyes close as though in pain, “They’re inside.”

Liam’s body begins to shake as though he’d been holding out hope that they’d made it out unharmed.

“How bad is it?” Liam asks, his words breaking.

“If it continues its current rate of progression? They’ll be dead by nightfall.”

Liam rips himself away, curling his arms around himself and putting his back to them all.

“Liam –“ the doctor tries again.

Lydia cuts him off, placing a tentative hand between Liam’s shoulder blades.

“You think Scott wants to see you like this when he comes out of there?” she asks, quietly enough that Mason has to strain to hear. “You don’t think he’s got enough to worry about with Stiles, Kira and Malia in there with him? You think he isn’t glad that you and I weren’t in there too? Do you want him to come out of there to find you a wreck?”

Liam’s whole body quakes from head to toe twice before his arms drop and he turns to face them. His eyes look golden in the sunlight for a brief moment after he opens them but he turns slightly and they return to their normal blue. 

“What can we do?” he asks, his face set in determination.

Lydia smiles and Mason knows he’s not imagining the proud look on her face. Beside Mason, Dr Geyer looks on in confused bewilderment. Mason knows how he feels.

* * * * *

When the people in yellow suits start removing equipment, those waiting anxiously for news start murmuring, standing from their mostly seated positions. When a woman with her yellow helmet tucked under her arm instead of on her head walks out smiling, a small group of students trailing behind her, people begin rushing forward. A mother not feet from Mason lets out a cry and practically sprints to engulf her daughter in a hug.

“You can go inside now,” the woman in yellow tells Sheriff Stilinski.

He doesn’t need to be told twice, taking off inside. Mason belatedly remembers that his son has been inside the whole time he’s been out here doing his duty. Lydia isn’t steps behind him, along with a flood of other parents.

Liam moves to follow.

Dr Geyer who’d returned from helping only moment before, rests a restraining hand on his shoulder.

“We should wait out here,” he says. “Let them see their families first.”

Liam looks ready to protest but doesn’t, looking sharply towards the car park instead.

There’s a tall, bearded man in his early to mid twenties heading their way, his hands buried deep in his leather jacket pockets. He looks like he’s headed for the school doors but pauses by them, eyes on Liam.

“You seen them yet?” he asks.

Liam shakes his head in response, his head dropping under the other man’s gaze. He reaches out a hand to place on Liam’s head.

“He’ll be fine,” he says. “They all will. We found a cure in time.”

Liam’s head snaps back up, knocking the older man’s hand away in the process, “Yeah?”

The man nods, looking unbothered as his hand returns to his jacket pocket, but snaps his head around moments later. They turn to see Malia exiting the school with an oversized jacket curled around her shoulders.

The older man beside them moves to greet her, Liam a step behind, but she passes without looking at them.

“Malia!”

Kira comes running out of the school doors but she too is ignored. She doesn’t follow after the other girl, stopping instead beside Liam and the older man.

“Something wrong?” the bearded man frowns.

Kira glances up at him, briefly at Liam and then spots Mason and Dr Geyer standing not feet away.

“Later,” she says.

At her words, the doors swing open again and Stilinski steps out, his shirt and parts of his face covered in blood. Scott steps out behind him.

Liam launches himself at Scott and the older boy barely manages to keep them both from falling over as he wraps his arms around him.

“It’s good to see you too, Liam,” Stilinski comments dryly, accepting a clap on the shoulder and a nod from the still unknown man.

“Hey, hey,” Scott says, his voice soft as he runs a hand through Liam’s hair. “It’s okay. We’re fine. I’m fine.”

Liam nods into the older boy’s shoulder but doesn’t let go. Scott sags slightly and just holds him in response.

* * * * *

It’s not until Liam has finally let Scott go and the CDC are pretty much cleared out that Mason understands whom the older man is. He’d moved away with Scott a few minutes earlier and Mason doesn’t mean to follow them but he comes across them talking anyway.

“I was never like this – not with you and certainly not with Peter,” Scott’s saying.

“You were never meant to follow, Scott,” the man replies. “Liam is – he’d be uncontrollable any other way.”

“You think he’s controllable like this?”

The older man laughs at Scott’s disbelieving tone, “He’s like a baby duckling that’s imprinted on its’ mother. He follows you everywhere, is comforted by your scent alone and I’ve never seen someone who finds simple touch so comforting.”

There’s a moments pause before the older man laughs again.

“Shut up, Derek,” Scott mutters.

He doesn’t, “It’s not just him, is it? You feel it too, don’t you? You get antsy when you don’t know where he is or what he’s doing.”

Scott sighs, “Was it like this for you? With Isaac and the others?”

“No,” Derek Hale admits. “But it doesn’t surprise me that you two are different. It takes a lot of power to create a connection that strong with just a turning. It’ll only get worse as you both get stronger.”

“Great.”

“Oh, come off it,” the older of the two says and Mason can’t see it but he knows he’s smirking. “If you had that much of a problem with it, you know perfectly well all you’d have to do is growl at him.”

Mason took the opportunity at the sound of laughing and a heavy thud to sneak away.

What the hell had Liam gotten himself into?

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this without really editing so feel free to let me know of any mistakes. Thanks for reading :D


End file.
